Hemoglobinometer



March l2, 1935. N. HoLT y HEMOGLOBINOMETER Filed May 28, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

March -1.2, 1935.

Filed May 28, 1932 N. HOLT HEMOGLOBINOMETER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -PartentedMar. 12, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT, OFFICE 1,994,102 HMOGLOBINOMETER' lNoah Holt, Pueblo, Colo. v Application May 28, 1932, serial No. 914,229

11 Claims. (oies-11) This invention relates to the class of measuringinstruments andpertains particularly lto a hemoglobinometer. z l

The primary object of the present invention is 15 to provide aninstrument bymeans of Vwhich the percentage content of hemoglobin inthehuman blood may be quickly and accurately determined. Another objectofthe invention is to provide a hemoglobinometer which is relativelysimple in construction and which does-'not require any particularscientic knowledge to use, thus making it possible for a physician toleave the determination of the hemoglobin content of blood specimens toan assistant with the assurance that an accurate report will beobtained.

A still further object of the invention is vto providea hemoglobinometeremploying an electric illuminating element, in which the element isenergized upon the application of the instrul ment to a supportingsurface so that the specimen and Aa comparator may be illuminated to beviewed bythe Vuser to determine the quality of the specimen, the` saidrspecimen'being ydivided in a series of receptacles of varying depth andthe receptacles being adjustable relative to the comparator so that one.thereof may be matched for color with the comparator or body which isof vthe color of normal blood. f

The invention will be best understood from a 30 consideration of thefollowing'detailed descripti-on taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings `forming party of this `speciiication,v with theunderstandingyhowever, that the invention is not confined to any strictVconformity with the 35. showing of the-drawings but maybe changed ormodied so long as such changes or modifications mark no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed .inthe'appended claims. l

Inthedrawings:'` Figure 1 is-aview partly in longitudinal section andpartly in elevation of the preferred form of the instrument embodyingthe present invention; Figure 2 is asectional view taken substantiallyFigure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3--3 ofFigure 1; iy

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the instrument; v f

"' Figure 5 is a sectional viewtaken substantially upon the 1ine5-5 ofFigure 2; g

Figure 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of amodified form of the invention;

Figure 'I is atransverse sectional view taken 55,: on the une 7 7 ofFigures; t

Figure 8 is a plan view of the runner used upon the modied torm of theinstrument; f

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 6; y

Referring now more particularlylto the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,Figure 1v illustrates in sectiony the preferred form of the presentinvention, as previously stated, wherein there is provided a casing 1 oithe character commonly employed in a hand Y flash-light, in which ismounted a battery cell 2,

the upper end of which contacts with the base of an incandescent bulb 3which is mounted in'a' reiiector 4 in the usual' manner.

One end of the cell casing 1 is closed by a cover 5 in which is a springcontact 6 and a reciprocable pin 7 attached thereto and extendedythrough to the outside as shown, the battery cell 2 being maintainedwith its bottom in spaced relation to thecap 5 by any suitable meanssuch as the ring of insulation material 8,'so that the spring contact 6is normally free from engagement with the bottom of the battery cell.

Upon the upper end of the casing 1 is mounted a circular housing 9.having the top and bottom walls 10 and 11 respectively. Integral withthe bottom wall is a threaded collar 12 which engages about the.reflector 'end of the ycasing 1 in the manner illustrated so as tosecure the housing iirmly on the casing.

The top wall 10 of the housing 9 has formed therethrough the threewindow openings 13,14 and 15, the windows 13 and 14 being at oppositesides of thev longitudinal center of the instrument so that the maximumamount of light from the incandescent bulb 3 Will .pass therethrough.

` Secured over the Window opening 13 is a ruby is shown-in detail inFigure 4 and indicated gen- 5 erally by. the'numeral19. This frame hasthe top and bottom walls and 21 which are connected ,by the front andrear Walls 22'l and 23. The front wall 22 of the frame 19 is of asize totightlyclose the opening 18 when the frame is extended into the chamber17 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The top wall of the chamber 17 which is a continuation of the wall 10,has a slot 23 formed therein from the edge of the opening 18 and thebottom wall of this chamber which is indicated by the numeral 24 andwhich is in a plane above the wall 11 of the housing, has a. downwardlypressed ofbset forming a groove 25 which extends inwardly from the freeedge of the opening 13 beneath and parallel with the slot 23. The topand bottom walls 20 and 21 of the frame 19 are provided at adjacentedges with inwardly extending notches 26 as shown in Figure 4.

Removably positioned within the frame 19 is a disk 27, in one face ofwhich is an annular channel 28 which is adjacent and opens through theperipheral wall of the disk. This channel is transversely divided intoareas 28' which are of gradually and progressively varying depth asshown in Figure 5, starting at one point with an area of very shallowdimensions and continuing around the series, gradually increasing indepth, until the last area is relatively deep.

Thisdisk 27 is made of a suitable translucent material such as whiteglass or porcelain, so that light from the bulb 3 will be diffusedtherethrough and thus permit of an accurate matching of the color of theblood contents of these Wells with the .comparator 16. The disk 27 has acentral aperture 29 therethrough and designed to overlie this disk is asecond disk 30 which is of transparent .glass and which also has acentral aperture therethrough as indicated at 3l, `the disks 27 and 30being of the same diameter.

These disks 27 and 30 are secured together with the disk 30 covering thespecimen areas 28, by means of a screw 32 on which are the two nuts 33.The disks 27 and 30 are between the nuts 33 and may thus be clampedtightly together thereby. When the disks are held in position on thescrew 32 by the nuts 33 the unit made up of these disks, nuts and screwmay be positioned in the frame 19 between the walls 20 and 21v thereofwith the l screw lying in the notches 26. The upper end of the screw isprovided with a knurled head 34 as illustrated to facilitate graspingand turning of the screw and the disks carried thereby. After the diskshave been mounted in the frame `19 in the manner described, the frame isinserted into the chamber 17, the lower end of the screw 32 sliding inthe groove 25 and the upper end positioning in the slot 23. As a resultof the right angular relation between the notches 26 and the slot andgroove 23 and 25, after the frame has been placed in the chamber, thescrew 32 will be firmly held in position but will be permitted rotarymovement.

The diameters of the disks 27 and 30 is such that any one of the areas28 may be located die rectly under the window opening 14, the dimensionsof the areas and of this window opening being the same and theperipheries of the disks do not extend beyond the portion of the topwall 10 of'the housing which separates the window openings 13 and 14 sothat the ruby glass `16 will not be covered thereby.

The top surface of the disk 27 has thereon a number adjacent each area28 which indicates the percentage amount of hemoglobin in the bloodwhich when placed in the area corresponds in depth or" color with` theruby glass 16. The deepest of the areas, of course, will be numbered toindicate blood having a very low hemoglobin content, while theshallowest will be numbered to indicate blood having a higher hemoglobincontent, the areas between being correspondingly graduated.

Slidable over the inner surface of the top wall 10 of the housing is ashutter element 35 which may be shifted to cover the window opening 15.This window opening is in alignment longitudinally of the instrumentwith the area of the overlying disk in which the hemoglobin percentageindicating figures lie. Any suitable means is provided for the`operation of this shuttenas for example, there may be employed a. Vstem36 attached to the shutter and extending outwardly over the top Wall ofthe housing 9 as illustrated in Figures v2 and 3.

The top wall 10 of the housing 9 carries a sight tube 37 which is ofsufficient diameter to enable a user of the instrument looking throughthe aperture 38 at the Youter end thereof to clearly see the light fromthe lamp 3 passing through the window openings and consequently to seethe ruby glass 16, the area-s 28 overlying the window opening 14 and thenumber .adjacent such area when the shutter is retracted.

In Figures 6 to 9 inclusive there is illustrated a slightly modifiedform of the instrument above described, the principle .of this formbeing, however,'the same. In this formA of the instrument there isprovided an elongated flat body 39 of porcelain or white glass in thetop surface of which is a longitudinally .extending channel 40 dividedinto yareas '40' and besides these areas and extending longitudinally ofthe series is a body 41 of ruby glass, .the color of which isI like theruby glass 16, the same as normal or healthy blood. The top surface ofthe body 39 is provided with a series of numerals each beingtransversely alignedwith an area 40 and representing the percentagecontent of hemoglobin in the blood specimen which when placed in theadjacent areaIcompares in color with the ruby glass standard. This basebody '39 is covered by a similarly shaped vclear cover glass 42 andsuitable means is employed for securing the glassand base together such,for example, as the thumb screws 43l which are illustrated. Designed tobe mounted upon the bodies 39 and 42 after the same have vbeen securedtogether by the thumb screws 43, is a slide 44 which has a sightopening' 45 therein, which when the slide is in position extends acrossthe two bodies so that one of the areas 40 will be uncovered or in viewand also aA portion of the adjacent ruby glass and the number alignedtransversely of the body with the pocket.

As the material of the slide 44 is of non-transparent character theadjacent areas will be covered sothat an accurate comparison of thecontents of one area with the ruby glass may readily be made. As in thepreferred form of the instrument the shallowest of the areas 40 willhave a number adjacent thereto'` which indicatesY a high percentage ofhemoglobin and the deepest of .the areas will indicate a low percentageof hemoglobin as a larger quantity of blood of low hemoglobin percentagewill be required to match the ruby glass than would be required in ashallow area. v The areas between'the shallowest and deepest are ofgraduated depths as previously explained and the percentage indicatingnumbers arel correspondingly graduated.

In the use of the'present instrument, referring tothe preferred form'illustrated in Figure l, the disks 27 and 30 are secured together andthe annular. recess'28 thereof is filed with blood by touching theperiphery of the disks at the rei cess portio-n against -a drop of bloodwhich has been squeezed from the finger, ear lobe or'any other Vsuitablepart of thev bodyfof the patient Whose blood isbeing tested;y Due tothe'shallowness ofthe annular channel, even at the deepest portionthereof, the blood will be drawn in by capillary attraction anddistribute itself throughout the` channel in the areas thereofcompletely y.filling the channel between the bottom andthe under side ofthe cover glass. The

v disks are then placed in the frame 19 in the manner illustrated andthevr frame 'inserted into the chamber v17. By thus positioningthe-instrument uprightly upon a suitable supporting surface the contact6 will be forced upwardly .into engagement With the bottom contactvviththe cell 2 and the under side of that portion of the disk overlying thereflector 4 will beilluminated. Y v

`The operator then peers through the opening 38 vand along the sighttube 37 towardy the vvindow openings 13, 14 andl5 and by grasping theknob 34 slowly rotatesthedisk until an area is found in which the colo-rof thev bloodtherein appears to correspond with the color ofthe rubyglass 16. v i -f The Window opening 15 will be keptcovered by theshutter 35 Whilerotating the disks and comparing the contents of thepockets with the specimen glass so thatno superfluousy light Will enterthe sight tube and thus interfere With the of blood which indicates thepercentage content of hemoglobin therein.

"The formation of the'areasp28 in the disk l2'7 may' be regulated sothat the one lying second' from the shallo-vvest thereof will containthe proper amount of normal blood or blood containing the normal amountof hemoglobin, to match the colorlof the ruby glass. By this arrangementthe areas will gradually decrease indepth in one direction from thisintermediate areal and Will, when iilled With normal blood graduallyshade off lighter and lighter to the sha'llowest of the pockets, Whilethose Vpocketslying'on the other side of the intermediate pocket Willgradually show darker and darker shades until the deepest pocket isreached.` y The operation of the Imodified form of the inventionshown inFigures 6 to 9 inclusive Will be readily understood from` the foregoingdescription given` in vconnection with the preferredv formV of theinvention, the comparison here being made by moving the slide or runner44 longitudinally of the bodiesI 39 and 42 after filling the areas 40'with the blood to be `tested until the sight opening aligns an area ofbloodwhilch corresponds in color With the ruby glass 4ll lying adjacentthereto. f

The numeral simultaneously uncoveredk or` tation thereofin aplaneparallel with the top wall of -a housing, a pair'of Window openings insaid top-Wall, one thereoflbeing located above the disk in a positionforthe selectivey location of said areas therebeneatn'a ruby glass coveringthe otherV Window, means for projecting light throughsaid disk towardthe windows and ruby glass, and means `.for Aviewingthe ruby glass andthe blood area located under the window adjamounting said translucentbody foiv rotation'in the housing in a position for the selective'location'of said areas under one of said Windows, a

ruby glass covering `the other of said Windows, a rtransparent coveringmeans for the translucent body,fmeans forrotating the cover meansfandthe adjacent body, and data disposed adjacent the areas for indicatingthe percentage hemoglobin content of a blood specimen in anyone oftheareas which corresponds in color With the ruby'fglass.

3. A hemoglobinometer comprising 'a body forming a housing having topandy bottom Walls, an.illuminating element, acasing for saidilluminating element, means integral with the 'bottom wall of thehousingvfor securing thelatte'r over the illuminating element, said topWall having a pair of Window openings therein overlying the saidelement, means for viewing said Windows, atranslucent body having anannular series of areas therein of graduated depths, means for mountingsaid translucentbody for rotation-'in the housing in a position for theselective location of said areas under one of said Windows, a ruby glasscovering the other of vsaid Windows, a transparent covering means forthe translucent body, means for rotating the cover means and theadjacent body,and `data disposed adjacent the areas for indicating thepercentage hemoglobin content of a blood specimen in any one of -theareas'which corresponds in color with thel ruby glass, said top Wallhaving a third-Window opening, and shiftable cover means for said thirdopening, said third opening when uncovered permitting-the projection oflight through the translucent body to illuminate the dataadjacent -thepocket beingviewed'. 1 i y l l f 1.4. A hemoglobinometer of the`character described comprising `a cylindrical 'casing' containing abattery cell, reflector-and incandescent element kin thereilecton'switchmeans forl energizing said incandescent element,ahousing having as'ubstantially circular portion and an off -setrectangular portion, the said rectangular portion havingoneside Wallopen and further having top andbottom Walls, said top Wall havinga pairof Window openings therethrough, means forsecuring said housing to saidcasing with said Windovv openings over the 'incandescent elementandreflector, a body removably positioned in the rectangular portion of thehousing and having a Wall closing the open side thereof, a rotatableunit removably mountedy in said body consisting of a disk oftranslucentmaterial having an annular series of areas inv one surface` thereof ofgraduated depths, a transparent cover glass overlying the areas, a screwextending through the translucentbody and .cover glass, means carriedbythe screw and at opposite sides of the translucent body and ,cover`glass for securing the two together, one end of said screw beinglocated exteriorly of the housing, means for supporting said screwvertically in the housing and first mentioned body to permit rotationthereof and the translucent body and cover glass, said translucent bodybeing so positioned as to permit the selective l'location of any one ofsaid areas under one of said windows, and a ruby glass covering theother of said windows.

.5. A hemoglobinometer comprising a flat body of translucent material, alongitudinally extending series of areas formed in one rface of saidbody, said areas being of graduated depths and merging directly one intotheother, a ruby glass mounted adjacent said areas, data disposedadjacent each area to indicate the percentage hemoglobin "content ofa'blood specimen in an area which corresponds in color with the adjacentruby glass, and means for focusing the sight upon a selected area andthe adjacent ruby glass and data consisting of a slide mounted upon thetranslucent body for movement longitudinally therealong and having arectangular sight opening extending transversely thereof.

6. A hernoglobinometer comprising a ilat body of translucent material, alongitudinally extendingseries of areas formed in one face of said body,saidareas being of graduated depths and merging directly one into theother, a ruby glass mounted adjacent said areas, data disposed adjacenteach area to indicate the percentage hemoglobin content of a bloodspecimen in an area which corresponds in color with the yadjacent rubyglass, means for focusing the sight upon a selected area and theadjacent ruby glass and data consisting of a slide mounted upon thetranslucent body for movement longitudinally therealong and having arectangular sight opening extending transversely thereof, and atransparent cover glass overlying and secured against the areaedface ofthe translucent .body and disposed beneath the slide.

'7. In a hemoglobinometer, a housing having a wall opening and a pair ofwindows in a wall, a frame slidable into the housing through saidopening, a pair of concentric disks carriedby said frame, one thereofbeing translucent and having a channel in one face adjacent the edge andformed to provide areas of progressively changing depth, the other diskbeing transparent, said areas being viewable through a window, a rubyglass covering the other window, said windows being in relatively closeproximity, illuminating means for the housing between which means andthe windows a peripheral portion of the disks is located, and meanscarried by the frame f orrotatably supporting the disks whereby any oneof said areas may be brought to position beneath the window adjacent theruby glass.

8. In a hemoglobinometer, a housing having a wall opening and having awall provided with a pair of relatively closely positioned windowsVaframe slidable in said housing through said wall opening, a channelformed in a wall of the housing, a pair of concentric disksA one ofwhich is formed of translucent material and has a .channel in one faceadjacent the edge and formed to provide a series of areas ofprogressively changing depth, the other disk being transparent andoverlying said channel, a stem extending concentrii callythroughthedisks, .means carried on Athe stem for securing the disks together, saiddisksA and securing means :being mounted in the frame, the disks havinga portion of the periphery projecting from the frame and located beneathone of said windows when the frame is in the housing, said stem havingits lower end -slidably engaged in said channel and having its upper endprojecting beyond the top of the housing, a ruby glass in the other ofsaid windows, and means Vfor illuminating the interior of ythe housing,between which means and said windows a portion of the periphery of thedisks is located whereby one o1' saidareas may be viewed through thewindow adjacent the ruby glass.`

9. In- .a hemoglobinometer, a housing having a wall opening and having awall provided with a pair of relatively closely positioned Windows, aframe slidable in said housing through said wall opening, a channelformed in a wall of the housing, a pair of concentric disks one :ofwhich is formed of translucent material and has a channel in one -faceadjacent the edge and formed `to provide 1a series of areas ofprogressively changing depth, the other disk being transparent andoverlying said channel, a stem-extending concentrically through thedisks, means carried on the stem for securing the disks together, saiddisks and securing means being mounted in the frame, the disks having aportion of the periphery projecting from the frame and located beneathone of said Windows when the frame is in the housing, said stem havingits lower end slidably engaged in said channel and having its upper endprojecting beyond the top of the housing, a ruby glass in the other of`said windows, means for illuminating the interior of the housing,between which means and said windows a portionof the periphery ofthedisks is located whereby one of said areas may be viewed through theWindow f adjacent `the ruby glass, one of said disks having indiciadesigned to be viewed in relation with said areas, Ia third windowadjacent said rst windows, and means for covering saidthird windowwhilel viewing the ruby glass and the disks through the window adjacentthe ruby glass.

10. In a hemoglobinometer, a body of translucent material having a-channel formed therein adjacent to and opening through one edge andalso open through the top of the body, said channel being relativelybroad as compared to its depth and having the bottom divided into aser-ies of flat areas arranged in progressively changing planes from oneend of :the-series to the other, a transparent :cover for said channel,a' comparator of the color yof normal blood, and means forselectivelydirecting the sight toward any one of said areas and the comparator.

11. In a hemoglobinometer, an elongated flat body .of translucentmaterial having a channel formed therein along -one edge and openingthrough the said edge .and through the top surface of the body, saidchannel having the vbottom divided into a series of flat areas arrangedin progressively changing planes 'from one .end of the channel to theother, an -elongated comparator of the color of normal blood disposed ina channel in the body at the inner side of said rst channel, atransparent cover overlying the body, said .comparator and the rstchannel, a slotted guide slidably mounted upon the body and having theslotted portion extending across the' comparator and the first channel,and index means on the body for determining .the condition of a bloodsample in the nrst channel relative` to the comparator.

NOAH HOLT.

